Rennes without imagination in attack
Ligue 1, Stade Rennais 0 - 0 Auxerre. Without many attacking players, Stade Rennes weren’t able to find their way through a well-positioned Auxerre defence. Inoffensive upfront, Antonetti’s men barely created any chances, and lose precious points in the race for Europe.
Brahimi, Camara, Kembo Ekoko, Montaño : before the game, the list of attacking players missing in Rennes was impressive. Enough to seriously handicap Antonetti’s squad, and this even before facing a team struggling for survival in the top flight.
Indeed, in the first half, and although the ball possession and the control of the game were Rennes’, the “Rouge et Noir” created only few chances. Only worth a mention was a header by Verhoek, which flew by Sorin’s goal (42’) after a free-kick by Leroy. Rennes didn’t have a shot on target in the first half.
Auxerre wasn’t much more dangerous. Well in place and disciplined, the Auxerrois remained grouped in their half of the pitch. Rennes tried to find the opening through placed attacks, but in vain. Antonetti’s men were lacking any attacking imagination.
Auxerre created the best chances
Rennes remained shy in their intentions in the second half. The Breton were soon earning a corner-kick (46’), tried their luck – with Leroy trying to beat Sorin with a little chipped ball (54’) -, but still off target. Rennes lacked efficiency and stumbled on Auxerre’s defensive application.
More worrying, Stade Rennes weren’t protected against an Auxerre counter. At the 60th minute, Oliech combined with Sammaritano and ran towards the goal. It would take a good intervention by Douchez to stop the Kenyan striker from opening the mark, but Auxerre had just created the biggest chance in the game. Auxerre was once more very near to realising a perfect hold-up, but Sammaritano scuffed his shot at the end of another counter (82’).
Rennes pushed in the final instants of the game, and Verhoek was agonizingly close to score with a header, but the ball skimmed the cross bar of Sorin’s goal (87’). Lacking creativity and attacking inspiration, handicapped by numerous absences in attack, Rennes lost two very precious points in the race for Europe. The “Rouge et Noir” could lose their place on Ligue 1’s podium as soon as this Sunday evening.
Match facts
STADE RENNAIS FC 0 - 0 AJ AUXERRE (half-time : 0-0)
Ligue 1, Match Day 29
Saturday, April 2nd 2011, 19:00
Stade de la Route de Lorient
Attendance : 27 743 spectators
Referee: Stéphane Lannoy
Yellow Cards : Danzé (17’), Leroy (20’), Dalmat (65’) for Rennes ;
Traoré (6’), Oliech (14’), Chafni (86’) for Auxerre.
- Stade Rennais FC : Douchez - Danzé, Mangane (cap.), Kana-Biyik, Souprayen (Théophile-Catherine, 74’) - M’Vila, Dalmat (Lemoine, 84’), Tettey - Leroy (Doumbia, 62’), Verhoek, Boukari.
Manager : Frédéric Antonetti.
- AJ Auxerre : Sorin (cap.), Chafni, Dudka, Coulibaly, Grichting (Hengbart, 46’), Berthod - Contout, Traoré, N’Dinga, Birsa (Sammaritano, 46’) - Oliech.
Manager: Jean Fernandez.